A Local Gift Guide for the Sassy (and Classy) Woman in Your Life

(Clockwise, from top left)

So, let me be very honest: this gift guide is all things that I want.  And, I think, things your girlfriend or wife or mother or sister or best friend might want too. Here we go:

1. You can't go wrong with an Amsa Yoga class pass.  You can buy 5-class, 10-class, 20-class, or 1-month unlimited class passes, and the first class for new visitors is free.  I've waxed poetic about my love for Amsa before, but truthfully, there are lots of great local yoga studios in Columbia; find one and hit the mat.  It's like therapy and exercise in one.  (Photo courtesy of Amsa Yoga).
 
2. This necklace by local artist, January Jewelry, has the sort of vintage-boho feel that I adore.  It is so reasonably priced, and supports a local artist and a local shop, as it can be found at Nest, the new all-local maker's market inside the Marriott on Main Street.

3. I have a new favorite store in Columbia: Jack & Jane Sport.  I stopped in the other day to get some ideas of things I want the hubs to get me for Christmas, and this Oiselle top is definitely on the list.  Not only is it a pretty color and the perfect weight for running in Columbia right now, but you have to feel it to believe how soft this top is.  Susannah, one of the owners, helped me; she was genuinely friendly and not at all pushy.  They have great-quality athletic gear, and for men too.

 4. How about a bottle of bubbly?  Anything sparkling is my drink of choice, and a nice bottle is without a doubt one of the best gifts you can give, I think.  Kaitlin Ohlinger, a friend, and the General Manager of Cellar on Greene, and author of the wine snob, is happy to help you pick out a unique one.  This Evolution Sparkling from Oregon has a pretty sweet label.  I'm partial to Oregon wines in general, and this one is delicious!  (Sold out on-line, but Cellar has it!)

5. The Gourmet Shop is a great place to shop for gifts, especially for the foodie or chef on your list.  They have awesome gourmet candy, wine, cigars, prepared foods, and so much cool kitchen stuff!  And what lady wouldn't be happy with this daily reminder?  The You Rock ceramic catch-all is a perfect gift for any woman on your list. 

6. How about a membership to the Columbia Museum of Art.  There's not much classier or more fun (and affordable!) than a year's pass to this beautiful and hip museum.  Besides the amazing art from renowned and classic artists, the museum also hosts cool events, and the museum shop is super-chic.  This gift would please so many people, and you'd earn some "class" points for giving something cultural and useful.  (The photo above is of Jones honing his skills in the CMA children's room).

So, here's the not-so-subtle hint for anyone looking to buy a gift for me this Christmas, and hopefully this helped you with something for the lady on your list!  Shop local!

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On Creating Space and Enjoying the "In-Betweens"

I took my first yoga class in quite a while recently, and as I always do after practicing yoga, I feel inspired to practice even more.  Amsa Yoga is my favorite spot in Columbia to practice, and Anne Miller is my kind of yogi.  For me, her classes have just the right balance of meditative reflection and bodily challenge.  I inevitably do some deep-thinking and feel all-spiritual and stuff, but also totally let go of my thoughts and focus on my body and nothing else, seemingly all at the same time.  It's amazing.  And it feels indulgent--a whole hour and a half to myself, focusing on myself only.  It feels indulgent, but I kinda think maybe it shouldn't.  Maybe I should be carving out these spaces of time for myself more often, and then I wouldn't feel like taking care of me is secondary or tertiary to other things.  And maybe eventually I wouldn't have to "carve out" time to practice yoga; I'd have to carve out time for other stuff, and the yoga would be non-negotiable.  Maybe someday...

Amsa Yoga studio, photo courtesy of their website

Anyway, the focus for the yoga class was creating space--in our lives and brains and our bodies--to accept and feel the "in-betweens."  The time and space between the beginning of something and the end of it.  As humans we have schedules, and demands placed upon us, and deadlines, and essentially just lots and lots of beginnings and endings.  Our days begin at roughly the same time each day, we have kid drop-offs, and meetings with distinct start and end times, and mealtimes, and on and on.  But, do we stop enough to enjoy and be present in the "in-betweens?"  I mean, essentially, the "in-betweens" is the meat of what we do and how we define ourselves, and life, right?

That was my takeaway from my yoga practice today, thank you Anne; create the space in my head and heart and body to enjoy the "in-betweens" and be in the present.  Yoga is powerful stuff; (ha! transcendent proclamation, right? You can quote me on that).

And I love that you're supposed to call it "practicing yoga" as opposed to "doing yoga."  The term practicing invites you to make mistakes and be forgiving of yourself and keep learning and doing, all while knowing perfection is not the goal.  That is my kind of activity.

**Disclaimer- I am in NO WAY an authority on yoga; this is just what it means to me :)

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Back to the Mat

I went back to yoga class today.  After almost 3 months of not going.

After a rough early pregnancy, including lots of puking.  After the anguish of a miscarriage and loss of a precious baby-life at 14 weeks.  After the death of another loved one last week.

After so much grief, it felt good to come back to the mat.

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a little update

Here's a quick little post of what's been occupying my head and heart of late:

Jones at Opening Day

Baseball- USC Opening Day was last Friday and Jones, James & I were in attendance.  Baseball is by far our family's favorite sport, and with the Gamecocks winning back-to-back National Championships the past 2 years, it's all the more fun!

Yoga- I took my first ever yoga class in November and I adore it.  Hot yoga is especially amazing.  Loving Amsa Yoga in Columbia.

Deer Tick- this song, especially


The Head and the Heart (still)- Oh, what I would do to see them on June 3rd at the Fillmore in SF...


Crawdaddy Dash: excited for this awesome (pretty-flat) 5K that I've done the past 2 years.  Early Bird sign-up by March 1st for only $20--and you get free admission to the Rosewood Crawfish Festival with your 5K registration!

What's occupying your time and thoughts lately?

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